Mignon L. Clyburn was nominated as a member of the Federal Communications Commission on June 25, 2009, and sworn in August 3, 2009. Her term runs until June 30, 2012.
Commissioner Clyburn has a long history of public service and dedication to the public interest. Prior to her swearing in as Commissioner, Ms. Clyburn served for 11 years as the representative of South Carolina's sixth district on the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSC). She was sworn in for her first term in July 1998, and was subsequently reelected in 2002 and 2006. She served as chair of the PSC from July 2002 through June 2004.
During her tenure at the PSC, Commissioner Clyburn actively participated in numerous national and regional state-based utility organizations. Most recently, Ms. Clyburn served as the chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' (NARUC) Washington Action Committee and as a member of both the association's Audit Committee and Utilities Market Access Partnership Board. Commissioner Clyburn is also a former chair of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (SEARUC).
Commissioner Clyburn was elected to the South Carolina PSC following 14 years as the publisher and general manager of The Coastal Times, a Charleston-based weekly newspaper that focused primarily on issues affecting the African American community. She owned and operated the family-founded newspaper following her graduation from the University of South Carolina, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking, Finance & Economics.
For well over two decades, Commissioner Clyburn has been actively involved in myriad community organizations. Prior to her appointment at the FCC, Commissioner Clyburn served on the South Carolina State Energy Advisory Council, the Trident Technical College Foundation, the South Carolina Cancer Center Board, the Columbia College Board of Visitors, the Palmetto Project Board (as secretary/treasurer) and has enjoyed previous service as chair of the YWCA of Greater Charleston and on the boards of Reid House of Christian Service, Edventure Children's Museum, Trident Urban League and the Trident United Way. In addition, Commissioner Clyburn was previously appointed to the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee's Common Ground School Improvement Committee and the Edventure Museum's South Carolina Great Friend to Kids Committee. She also is a Life Member of the NAACP, a member of The Links, Inc. and the SC Advisory Council of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and was past president of the Charleston County Democratic Women and Black Women Entrepreneurs.
Commissioner Clyburn has received a number of honors and awards, including being selected as the 2006 James C. Bonbright Honoree (awarded by the Southeastern Energy Conference, Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia) and receiving the 2007 Lincoln C. Jenkins Award for business and community contributions presented by the Columbia (SC) Urban League.